Device For Distributing Liquid In The Form Of Drops

ABSTRACT

The device includes a drop dispenser orifice formed in a dispenser end, and a mechanism for visually locating the orifice, by forming a demarcation zone having a color that contrasts strongly with other portions of the dispenser end.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to dispensing liquid, more particularlydispensing it in the form of drops, in the pharmaceutical field, e.g.liquid for the eyes, the nose, the mouth, or the ears. The term “liquid”is used to designate a preparation that is non-solid and non-gaseous andthat is viscous to a greater or lesser extent.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Dispenser devices are already known that include a dispenser orificefrom which drops are dispensed, e.g. a dispenser orifice formed at thecenter and at the end of a dispenser nozzle that is generally white incolor.

It has been found that dispensing drops requires a certain amount ofaccuracy on the part of the user, very particularly when dispensing aliquid in the eye. Thus, a clumsy movement by the user can easily leadto depositing the drop beside the target zone.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to propose a dispenser device that enablesthe user to dispense drops with greater accuracy.

To this end, the invention provides a dispenser device for dispensingliquid in the form of drops, the device including a drop dispenserorifice formed in a dispenser end, wherein the device includes locatormeans for visually locating the orifice, by forming a demarcation zonehaving a color that contrasts strongly with other portions of thedispenser end.

By means of the demarcation zone, the user very easily detects thelocation of the dispenser orifice, thereby enabling the user to bettertarget delivery of the drop. The demarcation zone is found to beparticularly advantageous for dispensing liquid in the eye (eye dropliquid) due to the fact that when the drop is delivered, the device isextremely close to the eye, which consequently cannot focus oraccommodate, and which sees the device in very blurred manner, withoutclearly distinguishing the portions in relief of the device, and thusthe location from which the drop is to be dispensed. Furthermore, whendispensing several drops in the eye consecutively, the user's vision iseven more blurred after the first drop has been received.

Thus, instead of making a device in which all of the portions have asimilar color, generally white, without any contrast between them, theinventors have the idea of forming a strong visual contrast, so as tohelp the user to locate the orifice, even when the user's vision isblurred. Tests on users have demonstrated that dispensing accuracy isclearly improved.

It should be observed that the term “dispenser orifice” is used todesignate the portion of the end from which the drops are dispensed,preferably a conically shaped portion that enables drops to be formedand that is arranged at the center and in the top portion of thedispenser end. In addition, it should be understood that the demarcationzone having a color contrasting strongly with other portions of thedispenser end may, for example, mean that the demarcation zone is verydark while the remainder of the dispenser end is very pale at least inpart, or the demarcation zone is very pale while the remainder of thedispenser end is very dark at least in part.

The invention may further include one or more of the followingcharacteristics, taken alone or in combination:

-   -   The demarcation zone is formed inside the dispenser orifice. In        particular, the demarcation zone is a dark zone that is arranged        inside a drop-forming cavity, while the immediate surroundings        outside the drop-forming cavity are made in a pale color.    -   The demarcation zone is arranged around the dispenser orifice.        In particular, the demarcation zone is a pale zone that is        arranged at or inside the dispenser orifice, preferably as        defined by a conical drop-forming cavity, while the immediate        surroundings of the dispenser orifice is made in a dark color.        For example, the demarcation zone is made in the form of a        continuous or discontinuous colored ring that is arranged around        the dispenser orifice. The colored ring may be discontinuous, in        the form of a discontinuous circular line, e.g. by a circular        run of squares, triangles, circles, or any other pattern.    -   The device includes drop-forming means and the demarcation zone        is obtained by coloring the drop-forming means, preferably with        a dark color. The drop-forming means are preferably made up of a        conical flared shape. In an advantageous embodiment, the        drop-forming means are formed in a piece of elastomer material        that forms a liquid flow valve. Alternatively, the demarcation        zone is arranged around the drop-forming means, e.g. by dark        coloring for some or all of a cap surrounding the drop-forming        means.    -   The device includes a dispenser endpiece that is generally        substantially cylindrical in shape, the dispenser end having the        general shape of a disk, with the dispenser orifice located in        its center. When the end of the device is in the form of a        surface that is substantially plane and relatively large        compared to the surface of the dispenser orifice, unlike a        projecting conical nozzle, this embodiment is particularly        advantageous due to the fact that it is more difficult for the        user to distinguish the dispenser orifice formed at the center        of the surface, very particularly if the drops are dispensed in        the vicinity of the eye. Furthermore, such a        substantially-cylindrical endpiece may be relatively short in        the longitudinal direction of the device, so much so that the        device is closer to the eye of the user, making it more        difficult to focus on and to see the endpiece in three        dimensions (as a result of the endpiece presenting fewer        shadows), and thus to see the endpiece in clear manner. The use        of locator means may thus create a feeling of security for the        user.    -   The disc is of opaque color. In other words, it has a        non-transparent color, for example white or of some other color,        or with patterns. In this case, the above-proposed device is        particularly advantageous, since when the top of the device is        opaque and it presents an extensive disc on its end close to the        eye, it constitutes an additional impediment for the user since        focusing is more difficult than it would be if the disc were        transparent.    -   The endpiece comprises a drop dispenser valve, a valve support        fitted on a reservoir, and a cap for pressing the valve against        the support, the cap preferably carrying the demarcation zone.        For example, the cap has a general shape of a disk that is        perforated at its center and that is provided with an annular        skirt that comes to pinch the valve against the support.        However, the dispensing device can take many other shapes. In        particular, the device may be a device without any valve,        configured for dispensing liquid in drops, especially for        dispensing eye drops. It may also be in form of a pump or a        valve.    -   The demarcation zone is formed by silk-screen printing, pad        printing, hot marking, printing by ink jet, or laser marking.    -   The device is configured for dispensing liquid in an eye.    -   The invention also provides the use of a device as described        above for dispensing liquid in an eye.

The invention also provides a method of manufacturing a device asdescribed above, said method including a marking step in order to formthe demarcation zone, e.g. a step of silk-screen printing, pad printing,hot marking, printing by ink jet, or laser marking.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be better understood on reading the followingdescription given merely by way of example, and with reference to thedrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device in an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 in a variant embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section view of the FIG. 1 device, providedwith a protective cap;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a device in a second embodiment; and

FIGS. 5 to 9 are perspective views of variants of the FIG. 4 device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a dispenser device 10 for dispensing liquid in the form ofdrops, said device comprising a reservoir 12 on which there is fitted adispenser endpiece 14 that may be surmounted by a protective cap 18, ascan be seen in FIG. 3.

The endpiece 14 presents a top dispenser end 20 in which there is formeda drop dispenser orifice 16 that is defined by drop-forming means 16, inthis embodiment. More precisely, still in this embodiment, the endpiece14 is generally substantially cylindrical in shape, the dispenser end 20having the general shape of a disk with the dispenser orifice 16 locatedin its center. This dispenser end 20 having the general shape of a diskis of non-transparent color, for example it is white or of some othersolid color, such that it constitutes an impediment for the userbringing it very close to an eye. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the endpiece14 includes a drop dispenser valve 22 that is made of elastomer materialso that, under the pressure of the liquid (when the user presses on thereservoir 12), it takes on a configuration for passing the liquid. Thedrop-forming means 16 are formed at the end of the valve 22, directlyout of the elastomer material. The means 16 are of conical flared shape.The endpiece 14 also includes a valve support 24 that is fitted on thereservoir 12, which support carries a pin 26 that forms a seat againstwhich the valve 22 bears, and also includes an air duct 28 that isclosed by a member 30 that is permeable to air, preventing bacteria frombeing introduced into the reservoir. The endpiece 14 also includes areturn element 32 that makes it possible to return the valve 22 into itsliquid-blocking configuration. Finally, the endpiece 14 includes a cap34 for pressing the valve against the support 24, the cap comprising theend 20 in the shape of a substantially-flat disk that is perforated atits center, the disk being provided with an outer annular skirt 36 thatis fastened on the support 24 and with an inner guide skirt for guidingthe valve 22.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the device includes locator means 40 forvisually locating the orifice, in this embodiment coinciding with thedrop-forming means 16, by forming a demarcation zone 40 having a colorthat contrasts strongly with other portions of the dispenser end. Inthis embodiment, the demarcation zone 40 is formed inside the dispenserorifice 16 by coloring the drop-forming means. The coloring contrastsstrongly with the remainder of the endpiece. In a non-limitingembodiment, the apparent color of the drop-forming means is dark,possibly blue, while the remainder of the endpiece is of a pale color,white.

It should be observed that the dispenser orifice 16 is madesubstantially in the same plane as the surface 20, so much so that itmay be difficult to distinguish it relative to the remainder of thesurface 20 when the device 10 is brought close to the eye. It is thusparticularly useful to provide a demarcation zone 40. In particular, itcan be observed that the surface 20 is relatively large compared to thesurface of the drop dispenser orifice 16: the surface 20 has an areathat is greater than the area of the orifice 16, specifically more thantwo or three times greater.

In the embodiment in FIG. 2, the demarcation zone comprises the topsurface 20 of the endpiece, as a result of the cap 34 being of a darkcolor, blue, and the drop-forming means 16 being of a pale color, beingwhite or transparent.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the endpiece 14′ is different from theendpiece 14 in that it is in the form of a dispenser nozzle that clearlyprojects from the remainder of the endpiece. Also, in this embodiment,the top surface of the device is the top of the nozzle and isconstituted almost entirely by the drop dispenser orifice. In thisembodiment, the demarcation zone 40 is formed by making the drop-formingmeans 16 dark in color. In this embodiment, the entire drop-formingportion is colored, however, it could be colored in part only.

Several variants of demarcation zones 40 on the device in FIG. 4 may beenvisaged, in non-limiting manner. In FIG. 5, the demarcation zone 40 isarranged around the dispenser orifice 16 in the form of a dark coloredhemisphere, the dispenser orifice 16 being made in a pale color. In FIG.6, the demarcation zone 40 is also arranged around the dispenser orifice16 in the form of a dark colored continuous ring, the dispenser orifice16 being made in a pale color. The colored ring may be formed on anintermediate portion of the nozzle, or indeed in the immediate vicinityof the dispenser orifice, such that the colored ring is arranged on thenozzle just at the periphery of the drop-forming means. In FIG. 7, thedemarcation zone 40 is similar to the demarcation zone in FIG. 6 exceptthat the colored ring is discontinuous, by having a circular run ofsquares or rectangles, which are still dark in color. In FIG. 8, as inFIG. 7, the ring 40 is discontinuous, formed by a circular run oftriangles. Finally, in FIG. 9, the demarcation zone 40 is made up of theentire dispenser nozzle, which is made in a dark color, while only thedispenser orifice 16 is made in a pale color.

In the embodiments, it should be observed that the dark-coloreddemarcation zone may be made by a material that is mass-dyed.

Alternatively, it is formed by silk-screen printing, hot marking,printing by ink jet, or by laser marking, so as to apply a preferablydark color on the dispenser end. Thus, in an embodiment, the method ofmanufacturing the device 10 includes a marking step in order to form thedemarcation zone, e.g. a step of silk-screen printing, pad printing, hotmarking, printing by ink jet, or laser marking.

The above-described device 10 is very particularly advantageous when itis configured or used for dispensing liquid into an eye.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Inparticular, it should be understood that any method can be envisaged forforming a visually contrasting demarcation of the orifice 16 or itsvicinity, so as to help the user locate the orifice, very particularlywhen the user's vision is blurred.

It can also be understood that the characteristics described may beapplied to dispenser devices other than those described by way ofexample, and in particular to a dispenser device without a valve, to apump, or indeed to a valve.

What is claimed is:
 1. A dispenser device for dispensing liquid in theform of drops, the device comprising: a dispenser end; a drop dispenserorifice formed in the dispenser end; a locator for visually locating theorifice by forming a demarcation zone having a color that contrasts withother portions of the dispenser end, a drop-forming element, wherein thedemarcation zone is formed by coloring the drop-forming element, andwherein the demarcation zone is dark-colored zone and is made of amaterial that is mass-dyed.
 2. The device according to claim 1, whereinthe drop forming element comprises a drop-forming cavity inside the dropdispenser orifice.
 3. The device according to claim 2, wherein thedrop-forming cavity has a conical shape that flares outwardly and havingan inner conical surface.
 4. The device according to claim 3, whereinthe demarcation zone is obtained by coloring the inner conical surfaceof the drop-forming cavity inside the drop dispenser orifice.
 5. Thedevice according to claim 1, further comprising a drop dispenser valveformed of a piece of elastomer material, the drop dispenser valveoperable between a liquid-passing configuration and a liquid-blockingconfiguration.
 6. The device according to claim 5, wherein thedrop-forming element is formed in the piece of elastomer material thatforms the drop dispenser valve.
 7. The device according to claim 5,further comprising a support, the dispenser end including a cap forpressing the drop dispenser valve against the support.
 8. The deviceaccording to claim 7, wherein the cap has an end surface in the shape ofa substantially flat disk with a central hole, the drop dispenser valveextending at least partially through the central hole with the dropdispenser orifice located adjacent to the end surface.
 9. The deviceaccording to claim 8, wherein the substantially flat disk is of opaquecolor.
 10. The device according to claim 7, wherein the demarcation zoneis different in color relative to the cap.
 11. The device according toclaim 1, the device being configured for dispensing liquid in an eye.